This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 20 November 2017.
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Joburg’s Klipspruit West Clinic shut after staff threatened TimesLive reports that officials have shut down the Klipspruit West Clinic after staff faced backlash over the arrest of a man who had vandalised property at the clinic. The City of Johannesburg’s MMC for Health and Social Development‚ Dr Mpho Phalatse, said the staff were threatened by "a few individuals who were disgruntled about the arrest of their brother‚ who had vandalised property at the clinic". Phalatse said services would resume once the safety of staff and patients could be guaranteed, but added that “healthcare was a human right and no one should deny the community that right regardless of their grievances." Read this report in full at TimesLive
Miner dies at Harmony Gold’s Masimong mine News24 reports that Harmony Gold confirmed on Monday that one of its miners had died over the weekend in a "fall of ground incident" at its Masimong mine in Welkom, Free State. Harmony Gold spokesperson Lauren Fourie said a rock drill operator had died on Saturday. An investigation into the accident was underway. "Management expressed their sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased," Fourie indicated. This short report by Iavan Pijoos is at News24 Bapong tribal council wants to shut down Lonmin mine, with 33,000 jobs at stake The Star reports that divisions over the controversial R640m royalties deal between platinum mining giant Lonmin and the Bapong community are deepening, with the local tribal council demanding that the producer be shut down. If successful, the stand-off could result in about 33,000 job losses, which would severely cripple the already poverty-stricken and underdeveloped community of Bapong near Brits in North West. The company has already invested R1.6billion in procurement contracts with Bapo Ba Mogale Investment (BBMI). The proposal was contained in two letters written by the Bapo ba Mogale Tribal Authority in October and this month pleading with President Jacob Zuma and Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane to take drastic steps against Lonmin. This move has exposed the broken relations in what was once a cosy affair between the company and the tribal house, who are the owners of the land, following the signing of their 40-year deal in November 2014. An impasse occurred earlier this month when Lonmin could not transfer the annual R5m to the Local Economic Development Trust, which is being managed by BBMI on behalf of the council and the community. The non-payment ignited a violent protest last week by some members of the community who are employees and beneficiaries of programmes linked to the trust. Lonmin’s Peter McElligott, said the company would pay the R5m in two instalments, on 25 November and 15 January. Read this report by Lindile Sifile in full at The Star
Seifsa fears jobs bloodbath over Eskom tariff hike Fin24 reports that an economist for the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) has warned that the proposed 19.9% electricity hike made by Eskom would result in job losses in the steel and engineering sector. Seifsa, which strongly opposes Eskom’s application for electricity tariff increases, was due set to make a representation at the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) hearings in Midrand on Monday. The sector has already lost a total of 25,000 jobs in the three years between July 2014 and June this year. Seifsa chief economist Dr Michael Ade said a high electricity tariff increase would stifle output in the metals and engineering sector. The sector provided employment to around 480,000 people directly last year, said Ade, adding that these jobs would be placed in jeopardy. He added that that if Nersa felt that an increase for Eskom was necessary, then it should be at a much lower percentage than requested. Read this report in full at Fin24 Eskom to create 10,000 jobs in Mpumalanga over next three years as part of development initiative State-owned power utility Eskom plans to create 10,000 jobs in Mpumalanga over the next three years as part of its development initiative. “As Eskom, we believe it is important to contribute to improving the lives of the communities in which we operate. We will be engaging the community in an effort to inform them on how they can participate in these opportunities,” Eskom interim group CE Sean Maritz said on Friday. The temporary and permanent jobs that will be created will be available in various trades within the energy sector and will largely include infrastructure maintenance and development projects in the region. Eskom has identified local business growth and development opportunities at all of its sites in the province. In addition to the jobs to be created, Eskom has identified commercial opportunities in the area that will see over 194 contracts of varying durations available to interested parties in the current financial year ending in March 2018. There are also 335 bursaries available and 680 learner development opportunities for young people in Mpumalanga. This is in an effort to develop much needed skills in the province. Read this report in full at SA Govt News Agency
Sandu threatens criminal charges over Brian Molefe’s SANDF job EWN reports that the SA National Defence Union (Sandu) says it plans to lay criminal charges after reports emerged that former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe has been appointed to serve as a highly paid military colonel. According to City Press, Molefe has been called up to serve in the army and is earning R57,000 a month, yet he does not have a military background. He apparently assumed his duties in August. But the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) claims that Molefe has been a reserve officer in the army since 2009. Sandu’s Pikkie Greeff commented: “He’s an honorary colonel and he has never had military training of any sort, so the Defence Act prohibits his appointment. We’re looking at filing criminal charges and we’ll definitely engage the department to withdraw the appointment and explain how it occurred.” The defence force said Molefe was appointed as an honorary colonel of the SA Irish regiment in 2011, adding that the former Eskom CEO did not receive a salary for his duties. A short report by Thando Kubheka is at EWN. Read too, Brian Molefe's military appointment must be investigated, says Security Forces Union, at HuffPost
Performance of DPW employees to be assessed against payments within 30 days News24 reports that employees of the national Department of Public Works (DPW) will now be measured against the payment of contractors within 30 days. This was the assurance of Public Works Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko during his visit to the Eastern Cape and engagement with contractors in Mthatha on Friday. "It cannot be optional but must be part of annual performance assessment review because it is a serious matter that is a huge pressure point to small and emerging enterprises," said Nhleko in response to issues raised by the Eastern Cape Business Forum, Eastern Cape Contractors Association and individual contractors. Nhleko added: "Regional departmental management teams must hold bi-monthly structured engagement with contractor associations and forums to address non-payment concerns as well as brief them about development programmes." Read this report by Jan Gerber in full at News24
Cosatu threatens national strike if state pension money used to bail SAA out The Citizen reports that labour federation Cosatu will go on a national strike if funds from the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) are used to bail out the embattled SA Airways (SAA), Parliament heard on Friday. The federation was presenting a submission to the Standing Committee on Appropriations, detailing its concerns about the airline and its 10,000 workers. Last month, the PIC, which is the investment agency for the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), said it was not ruling out the possibility of bailing out SAA. But, the federation warned it would mobilise its members to take to the streets if there were any moves to “loot” the PIC. “Government must not take this warning lightly. Teachers, nurses, police officers, prison wardens, doctors, public servants across the board will not hesitate to go on strike if government thinks it can allow the PIC and their pensions to be looted,” Cosatu said in its submission. Read this report by Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni in full at The Citizen. Read too, Zuma vows government will continue supporting embattled SAA, at Engineering News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Witnesses 'intimidated' as disciplinary hearing of Eskom boss resumes this week TMG Digital reports that key witnesses in the disciplinary hearing of suspended Eskom executive Matshela Koko are crying foul over what appears to be a campaign of intimidation designed to silence them. Koko’s hearing is due to resume on Thursday‚ after a lengthy postponement. He is facing six charges‚ including irregularly awarding more than R1bn of tenders to a company in which his step daughter held shares‚ as well as irregularly removing some of his colleagues from their positions when he became the utility’s acting chief executive in January. In the past two weeks‚ both France Hlakudi‚ who was a contracts manager at Kusile‚ and his boss Abram Masango were issued with letters of suspension for various allegations of misconduct‚ action seemingly aimed at excluding them as witnesses in the Koko disciplinary hearing. Hlakudi resigned on receipt of the letter. Masango‚ the executive responsible for group capital infrastructure which built new power stations‚ was suspended last week on allegations "of generally corrupt conduct". It is not clear if he will still be called to testify against Koko. Senior Eskom sources with knowledge of the matter said the suspensions of both Hlakudi and Masango‚ while based on legitimate concerns over possible wrongdoing‚ were fast-tracked to stop them from being called before the hearing. Eskom denied that there was any victimisation at the utility. Read this detailed report by Kyle Cowan and Sikonathi Mantshantsha in full at SowetanLive Prison official dismissed as a result of convict's escape Cape Times reports that a Drakenstein Correctional Centre official has been dismissed after an internal disciplinary hearing found him guilty of misconduct relating to the escape of convicted murderer from the prison earlier this year. Landile Yeko, serving 25 years for murder, housebreaking and theft of a vehicle, made headlines in February when he escaped from his cell. He used a hacksaw to saw through the bars of his single cell’s window. He was subsequently caught and given a six-month jail sentence for the prison break. Monwabisi Faltein was charged with breaching security measures and dereliction of duties. According to the charge sheet, he created a security safety risk by switching off lights at the A-unit office before Yeko’s escape. Faltein then failed to conduct regular visits to A-unit cells while performing a second night shift, which facilitated Yeko’s escape. Another of four officers charged over Yeko’s escape was exonerated of the charges against him. The hearing against two more officials will resume in January. The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) indicated that it would appeal the guilty verdict as Faltein had been dismissed “prematurely”. Read this report by Siyavuya Mzantsi in full at Cape Times Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Train carriages on fire in Cape Town at noon on Monday TimesLive reports that thick black clouds of smoke billowed from three carriages of a passenger train that caught alight in Cape Town just after noon on Monday at the Century City railway station. Fire and Rescue spokesperson Theo Layne said: “We have three carriages alight. No injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire is undetermined at this stage. As a result of the train fire the surrounding vegetation has now also caught alight.” Metrorail‚ which transports up to two million passengers daily around the country‚ was unable to immediately comment on the incident. A short report by Petru Saal is at TimesLive
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